Oakham Votes to Designate Paid Working Assessor for FY26 Property Revaluation

OAKHAM -- March 3, 2025, Oakham Board of Selectmen designates a paid working assessor and reviews FY26 budgets ahead of a September revaluation deadline. The board voted unanimously Monday to designate Board of Assessors member Diane Peterson as a special municipal employee through December 31, 2025, authorizing her to serve as a working assessor at $50 per hour, not to exceed $14,000, drawn from the town's existing revaluation stabilization account, which also funds a $24,500 contract with Patrick Herring Services. Peterson, a certified assessor with more than 40 years of municipal experience, said the revaluation kickoff meeting with the contractor had already taken place and that the goal is to complete all work and issue tax bills by September 30. The board also heard that the wiring inspector's revolving fund holds an estimated $46,000 to $47,000, including a $52,000 permit fee from the Barry Road solar field dating to roughly 2017, that will require a town meeting article to transfer to the general fund. Building permit fees, unchanged since 2014, are under review after the building inspector presented a proposal that would raise single-family dwelling permits to $100 plus $1 per square foot and zoning determination fees from $100 to $300.